In a conventional oil film bearing of the type shown in FIG. 1, a sleeve 10 is axially received on the tapered section 12 of a roll neck protruding axially from the roll body 16. The sleeve has a tapered interior surface 18 axially received on the tapered roll neck section 12, and a cylindrical outer surface 20 journalled for rotation in a bushing 22 contained in and fixed relative to a chock 24. The bushing has an internal lining 23 of babbitt metal. One end of the sleeve is provided with a radially outwardly protruding circular flange 26, as well as with a radially inwardly protruding circular collar 28. Keyways 30 are machined into the collar 28. Keys 32 are received in notches 34 in a reduced diameter cylindrical extension 36 of the roll neck. The keys 32 protrude into the keyways 30 in the inner sleeve collar 28 to fix the sleeve 10 against rotation relative to the tapered roll neck section 12.
Other conventional bearing components include an inboard seal assembly 38, sleeve retaining ring 40, roller thrust bearing 42 and associated retaining and outboard sealing elements generally depicted at 44.
The chock 24, bushing 22, sleeve 10 and the other above described conventional components are axially receivable on and removable from the roll neck as a single unit or assembly. During axial removal, the chock 24 is pulled in the direction of arrow 46. The bushing 22 follows the chock, and by virtue of the interengagement of the outboard end face 22a of the bushing with the sleeve flange 26, the sleeve is axially dislodged from the tapered section 12 of the roll neck.
In a recent development directed to reducing the size of the forgoing from which the sleeve 10 is machined, the sleeve flange 26 has been eliminated and replaced by an improved keying arrangement. An oil film bearing incorporating one embodiment the redesigned sleeve and keying arrangement is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, where like reference numerals have been employed to identify conventional components described earlier with reference to FIG. 1. The redesigned sleeve 50 is again provided with a tapered interior surface 52 seated on the tapered section 12 of the roll neck, and a cylindrical outer surface 54 journalled for rotation in the bushing 22 contained within the chock 24.
Key assemblies generally indicated at 56 are employed to rotatably fix the sleeve 50 to the roll neck. Each key has a generally T-shaped configuration, with a radial segment 56a having a protruding outer portion 56b defining an abutment engageable by the bushing end face 22a during axial removal of the bearing from the roll neck. The radial segment 56a extends through a stepped bore in the sleeve 50 and is connected to a base segment 56c by means of a bolt 58 or other like fastener. The base segment 56c is received in a groove 60 cut into the cylindrical neck section 36 adjacent to the tapered section 12 of the roll neck. The radially protruding outer portions 56b of the keys 56 take the place of the conventional circular sleeve flange 26, thereby making it possible to reduce both the size of the forgoing from which the sleeve is machined, and the costs of machining the sleeve.
As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the contact areas between the radially protruding abutment portions 56b of the new keying arrangements 56 and the end face 22a of the bushing are relatively small, indeed comprising only a fraction of the entire circumference of the end face 22a. Thus, during removal of the bearing from the roll neck, a concern has arisen that the resulting concentrated unit loading on the bushing end face may cause distress in the lining 23 of babbitt metal.
The objective of the present invention is to safeguard the lining of babbitt metal from such distress during removal of the bearing assembly from the roll neck.